Blonde Wanderlust and a Dreamy Weekend in The City of Love…Paris!

Being the travelling sort I tend to try and get away and fulfil the wanderlust that I work hard to keep quietly restrained as often as possible. I like to consider myself fairly well travelled…I took a year out from work to explore far-flung destinations such as China, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Fiji and then spent a few months living in Australia. I’ve volunteered at a South African safari reserve (and been bitten by a tiger cub whilst at it…but that’s an entirely different story!). The last few years I’ve headed to the United States completing a three week road trip around California, Arizona and Nevada (man, Phoenix in August is what I imagine living on the sun to be like!). The following year I did a two week trip around the east coast of America taking in Niagara Falls, Cape Canaveral, Miami and Key West. Two summers ago I finally made it to ‘The Big Apple’ and spent a week swept away in the wonder that is NYC.

In amongst this I’ve made a few trips to Europe – Italy, Spain…the usual, but the only time I had visited France was to head on “the best trip of my life” (The Blonde, aged 7) to Disneyland. As I reached adulthood and independence my theory had always been to head to the furthest away places of interest while I was young, free and single (and could justify the credit card bills…). Now at the ripe old age of 32 I find myself craving to investigate the countries closer to home and hopping on an Easyjet flight for an hour or two to escape the hum-drum UK winter/daily routine.

So, with that in mind,I thought myself quite the genius when for Christmas this year I purchased a weekend away in Paris for Valentine’s Day for The Canadian. Not only did this prove to be a most successful and thoughtful gift (gold star for me) but moreover it meant another getaway for myself! “Sneaky Blonde” I hear you cry – indeed I was!

Let me begin by saying that if you are considering a February romantic getaway to ‘the city of love’ you have been warned – it’s bloody cold! Pack yourself a warm coat, plenty of layers that you can add or remove, gloves are a must and a luxurious blanket scarf will see you through the evening chill. I packed the trusty yellow New Look coat of dreams, a snuggly gingham Zara scarf and comfy Primark jeans with added stretch (helpful for all of those crêpes I was bound to eat). Supportive shoes are also a must for pounding the streets (although we did find the metro incredibly easy to navigate and a cheap way to get around), I wore leather silver pumps from Aldo and my super comfortable and reliable Dune Chelsea boots.

Here’s a little breakdown of how we spent our time and some recommendations of how to spend 48 hours in the French capital.

Later that morning we headed to the main spectacle The Eiffel Tower. I’d really recommend getting here early to beat the crowds and spend time wandering the little streets that surround this iconic landmark. Trocadéro Gardens offer a great view and are perfect for photos of the Parisian skyline before heading up close to the tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we headed to magical Montmarte. A short metro ride away this quaint little town is home to the Sacré Coeur Basilica.  Allow a couple of hours to wander the adorable little streets and alleyways before stopping off for a spot of lunch in one of the many charming cafes and restaurants before heading back to the hustle and bustle of the city.

 

 

 

 

And there you have it! That’s how we spent our weekend exploring this beautiful city. There are of course more sights to see, more streets to explore and more atmosphere to soak up so I’m sure a return trip will be on the cards soon. Until then I’m now going to start day dreaming about our next destination…the very instagrammable Santorini!

 

The Blonde x